


That's What Friends Are For

by geri_chan



Category: Magnum P.I. (TV 2018)
Genre: Case Fic, Friendship, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-16
Updated: 2019-12-16
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:02:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,269
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21817861
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/geri_chan/pseuds/geri_chan
Summary: When Katsumoto's son goes missing, he turns to Magnum for help.
Comments: 12
Kudos: 40
Collections: Yuletide 2019





	That's What Friends Are For

**Author's Note:**

  * For [philote_auctor](https://archiveofourown.org/users/philote_auctor/gifts).



> This story takes place during Season 2, sometime after Episode 4 ("Dead Inside").

I was glad that Higgins had finally agreed to be my partner--mostly glad, that is. Maybe not so much at moments like these when she was going over the account books and lecturing me about income flow, or rather, lack thereof.

"It's one thing to be generous, Magnum," Higgins said. "But you cannot run a business if you take all your cases pro bono."

"Our cases," I reminded her. "And by the way, didn't you decide not to charge Katsumoto for _our_ work?"

"That was different," she retorted. "He's a friend to whom you owe a great deal."

Higgins was right, and this was an argument I knew I wasn't going to win. So when the buzzer at the entrance gate sounded, it came as a welcome interruption.

"Speak of the devil," I said when Katsumoto's face appeared on the monitor. "What's up, Gordy?"

"I need to talk to you," he said curtly without his usual "Don't call me Gordy," which worried me a little.

"I'll buzz you in, Detective," Higgins said. As she did so, she turned to me and said, "What did you do this time, Magnum?"

"Nothing," I replied in a tone of wounded innocence. She gave me a skeptical look and I protested, "I swear!" 

And honestly, I could not think of anything I had done recently to piss off Katsumoto. I thought we had been square since I apologized to him, and our recent cases had been low key, following cheating spouses and the like. Nothing that had interfered with Katsumoto's work, and nothing that had broken any laws. Okay, maybe we had bent them a little, but nothing serious and nothing that had come to Katsumoto's attention.

"I need your help," he said without any preamble when he reached the main house. 

"Whatever you need," I replied without indulging in the usual joking or needling because Katsumoto's normal deadpan expression had been replaced by one of anxiety, even fear.

"My son is missing," Katsumoto said.

Higgins and I exchanged concerned looks. "Of course we'll do whatever we can," I said. "But doesn't HPD have more manpower and resources?"

"I'm sure he has his reasons, Magnum," Higgins said reprovingly. In a gentler voice, she added, "Please have a seat, Detective, and tell us what we can do to help."

Katsumoto took a seat on the couch, setting down a black bag beside him that looked like a carrying case for a laptop. "It started with Dennis--my son--being grounded," he explained. "He wanted to go to a party, and my ex-wife said no when she found out the parents of the kid throwing the party were out of town. Then he tried to get around that by asking me, but I checked with his mom first. So we grounded him for trying to play us off against each other. He sulked a bit, but we thought that was that."

"Let me guess," I said. "He snuck out and went to the party anyway. It's what I would have done when I was his age."

"Why does that not surprise me?" Higgins said dryly.

"The party was last night," Katsumoto said. "When my ex went to wake him up for breakfast this morning, he was gone. The bedroom window was open, and his wallet, phone, and bike were gone. So yeah, she just assumed that he snuck out and hadn't come back yet. At first she was just pissed and ready to ground him for another month, but when he didn't show up and didn't answer any of her calls, she got worried and called me.

"I spoke to Missing Persons, and they humored me by taking a report, but it's pretty clear they think that I'm just being an overprotective dad. And hell, I can't really blame them. He's only been gone overnight, but I swear, Dennis is not the type of kid to make us worry like this. Sneak out to the party, maybe, but he would have tried to sneak back in before anyone noticed he was gone. He would not have been gone this long without saying a word."

I nodded. I didn't know Dennis, but I trusted Katsumoto's judgment, and besides, what he said made sense. Even a normally well-behaved kid might sneak out to have a little fun, but if he was smart, he'd sneak back in that bedroom window before his mom woke up. I'd done it myself in the past, although more than once I'd found one or both of my parents waiting for me when I tried to sneak back in.

Katsumoto let out a sigh of frustration. "Even if they were willing to send out search parties, I couldn't tell them where to look. As an unofficial favor, Duke sent a few extra patrols out to the North Shore to keep an eye out for Dennis, but so far there's no sign of him. They talked to the kid who threw the party and he claims not to have seen Dennis, but according to the neighbors, the party got a little wild. There were so many kids there that the host might not have seen Dennis even if he had been at the party."

"So the party was your only lead?" I asked.

"Yes, and even if he was there last night, the party's over now," Katsumoto said. "My ex and I have been calling all his friends, but no one's seen him."

I turned to Higgins and said, "Maybe you could work your magic and look through Dennis's emails and texts to see if he mentioned anything about where he might have gone?" I wiggled my fingers and mimed typing on a keyboard, and Higgins regarded me with more tolerance than usual, though it was probably more for Katsumoto's sake than mine.

"I have his computer," Katsumoto said, taking a laptop out of the bag he'd brought with him. "And I don't have his phone, but I have his account information printed out for you here."

"Thank you, that will be helpful," Higgins said. She opened up the laptop and began searching through files as Katsumoto and I peered over her shoulder.

"This will go faster if the two of you aren't breathing down my neck," Higgins said. "I have this covered. Why don't you go out and investigate?" 

She made a shooing motion with one hand, and I replied, "I can take a hint." Then I turned to Katsumoto and said, "Let's go take a look at your son's room and see if we can find any clues as to where he's gone. And we can talk to his friends in person. I know you said that you and your ex-wife have already called them, but there might be things that they're holding back, not wanting to get Dennis in trouble with his parents."

"I don't have any better ideas," Katsumoto conceded. "And I'd rather be out doing something than just sitting around watching Higgins work. No offense."

"None taken," Higgins replied. "Go ahead, I'll call you if I find anything."

When we got outside, Katsumoto headed towards his car until I said, "We're both going to the same place; why take two cars?"

"So that I'm not trapped in the same car with you?" Katsumoto replied, deadpan.

"Come on, how often do you get to ride in a Ferrari?" I cajoled. "Besides, you know you secretly enjoy my company."

"In your dreams, Magnum," Katsumoto retorted, but he got in the car, so I figured that proved my point. However, since he was going through a rough time, I magnanimously refrained from saying so.

***

Since time was of the essence, I drove just _slightly_ above the speed limit. Fatherly concern must have outweighed Katsumoto's usual strict adherence to the law, because all he said was, "Don't expect me to fix any tickets for you."

That would usually be my cue to make a witty quip, but it didn't seem appropriate under the circumstances. The silence stretched out awkwardly until Katsumoto suddenly said, "I haven't been a great father."

"I find that hard to believe," I replied. 

"Thanks, but I don't need your pity, Magnum," Katsumoto said.

"I mean it," I protested, and I did. "You seem like the kind of dad where the kids complain about how strict you are, but after they grow up, they understand that it was because you cared about them."

"Am I strict?" Katsumoto mused out loud. "Honestly, I haven't really been around enough to be strict with Dennis. I've missed so many birthdays, baseball games, school plays..."

"But that's because you're out catching bad guys and making the world--or at least the Aloha State--a better place," I said. "He'll understand someday, even if he doesn't right now."

"I hope so," Katsumoto said, then gave me a quizzical look.

"What?" I asked. 

"You're a pain in the ass, but you can also be a surprisingly decent guy at times," Katsumoto replied.

"That sounds like a backhanded compliment, but I'll take what I can get," I said, and Katsumoto actually cracked a smile. I smiled back at him, grateful that I could lighten the mood if only for a moment. I hadn't realized how much Katsumoto's friendship had meant to me until I'd lost it. Now that he'd finally forgiven me, I wanted to be a friend that he could rely on...even if I was a pain in the ass at times.

We made good time without getting any tickets, and reached the North Shore, home to the some of best waves in the world and the Triple Crown of Surfing. I was no Kelly Slater or John John Florence, but I liked to catch a wave myself every now and then. 

"Does Dennis like to surf?" I asked.

"Yes, but I told you--"

"That he wouldn't have just left home without a word," I interrupted. "And I believe you. I don't know your son, but he sounds like a good kid. I was a good kid, too..."

Katsumoto let out a derisive little snort, which I acknowledged with a grin. "Okay, probably not as good as Dennis, but basically a good kid. Still, there were times when I stayed out late and got into a little trouble and was afraid to come home and face the music. I just wondered if maybe the party got out of control and maybe Dennis stayed out later than he planned, and if he could be trying to get his head straight and work up the nerve to come home and face you and his mom. I didn't have the ocean back in Virginia, of course, but I find now that it helps to calm and center me."

I got another look from Katsumoto, like he was surprised that I had actually said something intelligent. "Well, let's check in with my ex first. If we can't get any leads from Dennis's room or his friends, we can check the beaches just in case."

"Sounds like a plan," I said. It wasn't a great plan, but at least it was a start. I hoped that Dennis was just out surfing or staying at a friend's house, but my gut told me that finding him wasn't going to be that simple.

For once, I really hoped that my gut was wrong.

***

The front door opened before we had a chance to knock or ring the doorbell. A pretty but anxious-looking Asian woman exclaimed, "Gordon! Have you found him?"

"Not yet," Katsumoto replied. "This is Magnum, the private investigator I told you about who's helping me look for Dennis. Magnum, this is my ex-wife, Leah."

"Thank you so much, Mr. Magnum. Please come in." As Leah stepped aside to let us in, she added, "I've heard a lot about you from Gordon."

"None of it is true," I said with a nervous laugh. "Or at least, it's not as bad as it sounds."

Leah managed a small smile. "Actually, he says that you're a thorn in his side, but that you're a good investigator, and that your heart is mostly in the right place even if your actions are sometimes misguided."

"Why Gordy, I didn't know that you cared," I said, grinning widely.

"Shut up and don't call me Gordy," Katsumoto snapped. I'd swear he actually blushed a little, though I'm sure he would deny it if I ever called him on it.

Leah tactfully changed the subject by asking, "Can I get you something to drink, Mr. Magnum?"

"No, I'm fine," I replied. "Could we take a look at Dennis's room?"

"Of course," Leah said, and led us to what looked like a typical teenage boy's room. Well, okay, it was a lot neater than mine ever was: no clothes lying on the floor, though the bed was unmade with the covers pushed back. There was a surfboard propped up in one corner of the room, so he wasn't riding the waves unless he was doing it on a borrowed board. There were a few surfing posters hanging on the walls, along with a Kukui High pennant.

A math textbook was lying open on his desk next to a sheet of unfinished homework. There were also photos, a few in frames and others taped to the wall above the desk, of Dennis with kids his age, presumably friends from school. I opened the drawers and looked through them, feeling awkward about invading the boy's privacy in front of his parents. Neither of them seemed offended, though. Katsumoto was busy looking through Dennis's backpack, while Leah just watched us from the doorway with concern.

"Nothing here other than textbooks," Katsumoto said with frustration. "Did you find anything, Magnum?"

"Nothing useful," I said, closing the drawers. I turned to Leah and asked, "Can you tell if anything's missing? For example, does it look like he could have taken extra clothes with him, like he might be planning to stay away from home longer than overnight?"

"I don't think so," Leah said, stepping into the room to look through the closet and dresser drawers. "It doesn't look like anything's missing, other than his cell phone and wallet. And his bicycle was gone from the garage, which was why I wasn't worried at first. I just assumed he'd gone to the party and slept over there."

"I didn't see an address book," I said. "I guess kids his age keep all their contacts on their phone."

"I've called all his friends, at least the ones I know the numbers for," Leah said. "He probably has some casual friends whose numbers I don't have."

"What about this kid?" I asked, pointing to a photo of Dennis with his arm slung around the shoulders of another boy; they were both wearing sports uniforms and seemed to be celebrating a victory. The same boy appeared in several other pictures, so I figured they must be close friends.

"Oh, that's Jordan Lam," Leah replied. "They've been good friends for years; they met in Little League. I called his house, but no one answered. When I ran into his mom last week, she said something about visiting relatives, so I assumed they were out of town."

That sounded reasonable, but something sent my Spidey-sense tingling. Apparently Katsumoto sensed it as well, because our eyes met and he nodded slightly.

"We'll stop by Jordan's house, just in case," Katsumoto said. "And the place where the party was held. Not that I don't trust Duke's people, but I want to talk to the kid who threw the party myself."

"Call me as soon as you hear anything," Leah said.

"I will," Katsumoto promised, and the two of them embraced briefly. I didn't know much about the circumstances behind their divorce, but they were clearly united by love and concern for their son, regardless of whatever problems they might have had with each other.

"So what's this kid like?" I asked a few minutes later as we drove to Jordan's house.

Katsumoto shrugged. "I haven't seen much of him since the divorce, but I remember him being a good kid. Studious, responsible...maybe a little too much so."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"It's just that his parents were the type who put a lot of pressure on him to get good grades," Katsumoto replied. "Getting a B-plus was equivalent to getting an F in their eyes. I'm sure it must be even worse now that he's nearly ready for college."

"Parents expect nothing less than Ivy League?" I asked.

"I haven't spoken to them for awhile, but I wouldn't be surprised," Katsumoto said.

Pressure like that could cause a kid to crack. Maybe it had something to do with Dennis's disappearance; maybe not. But at least it was a lead to follow.

When we got to the Lam residence, we found that Mr. and Mrs. Lam had just arrived home from their trip, but were surprised when we asked about Dennis.

"Jordan told us he was sleeping over at Dennis's place," Mrs. Lam said. "That's why we let him stay behind."

"Obviously he lied," Mr. Lam said, looking grim. "And obviously your boy lied to you as well, Gordon. If Dennis has gotten him into some kind of trouble..."

I could see Katsumoto getting angry--an expression I'd seen directed at me far too many times--and I quickly intervened before an argument could break out.

"We can assign blame later," I said. "What's important now is finding the boys and making sure that they're safe."

Katsumoto took a deep breath and said, "You're right," and Mr. Lam grudgingly backed down as well.

"Do you know anything about a party that was going on last night?" I asked.

"No, what party?" Mrs. Lam asked. 

"A party given by one of their classmates, Chris Jenkins," Katsumoto replied.

"We'd never have let Jordan stay behind if we knew he was planning to go to some party, especially one given by the Jenkins boys," Mrs. Lam said, looking more annoyed than worried.

"What's wrong with the Jenkins boys?" I asked.

"Their parents are always going off on trips and leaving their sons home alone and free to throw wild parties," Mrs. Lam replied. "Their neighbors and other parents have complained to them, but they don't seem to care and just say, 'Well, boys will be boys.'"

"The parents have jobs that require a lot of travel?" I asked.

"They run a plastic surgery clinic that has a very exclusive clientele," Mr. Lam said. "Rumor has it that those clients include the rich and famous. I can only speculate about whom those clients are, since the Jenkins are paid for their discretion as well as their surgical skills, but they certainly jet off to the mainland often enough to tend to special clients."

"By the way," I said, "Katsumoto mentioned a classmate named Chris, but you referred to the Jenkins 'boys'--is there a brother?"

"Yes, Chris's older brother Blake," Mr. Lam replied. "He barely made it through high school, and his parents got him into some small private college that will take anyone who can pay the tuition. Even then, he dropped out to take a 'gap year' that has stretched out into two years so far. Not the kind of people we want Jordan hanging around."

"And not the sort of people Dennis should be hanging around, either," Mrs. Lam added accusingly. "He always seemed like a good boy, a good influence on Jordan, but maybe we were wrong."

"Hey, all teenagers get a little rebellious at times," I said, trying to defuse the tension. "Even the good ones."

"Not our son," Mr. Lam said stubbornly.

"This may be more than just youthful hijinks," Katsumoto said sharply. "The party's over but the boys haven't come home. They could have gotten themselves into real trouble."

"The only trouble I see is that Dennis took Jordan out partying, and when he comes home, he's going to be grounded till the end of the school year," said Mrs. Lam.

"Just to be sure, would you let us take a look at Jordan's room?" I asked. "To see if he left behind anything that might tell us where they went?"

The Lams hesitated for a moment, then Mr. Lam replied, "I don't think I'm comfortable with that," while giving Katsumoto a pointed look. "Not without a warrant."

"I'm not here as a cop," Katsumoto said, struggling to keep his voice level. "I'm here as a father who wants to see both our sons come home safely."

"We'll take a look in Jordan's room and call you if we find anything, Gordon," Mr. Lam replied firmly, and he and his wife went into the house, slamming the door behind them.

"For someone who is so sure that his son wouldn't get into trouble, he sure acts like he has something to hide," I said.

"It might just be reflex," Katsumoto replied. "He's a lawyer."

He said the word "lawyer" with the same disdain usually reserved for "private investigator" or maybe just "Magnum". Although I liked to think that I'd grown on him and now there was a little affection mixed in with the insults.

Just then my phone starting ringing--or rather, barking. "What's up, Higgy?" I said as her face appeared on the screen. "Tell me you have something for us, because we're coming up nil."

"Need you even ask, Magnum?" Higgins said with her usual air of superiority. "I went through Dennis's emails and text messages and found something interesting. He was talking about the party with a boy named Jordan Lam."

"We're at the Lams' place now," I said. "Jordan's not here, but his parents aren't being helpful. They seem to think that Dennis and Jordan are just out partying."

"They had been talking about the party for about a week beforehand," Higgins said. "Dennis was a little worried that his parents wouldn't let him go if they knew the details, but Jordan encouraged him to come, saying that what they didn't know wouldn't hurt them. They made plans to meet there, and when Dennis didn't show up last night, Jordan sent him a text saying, 'Where are you, dude?'"

Despite the seriousness of the situation, I wanted to laugh at hearing teenspeak come out in Higgins's very proper British accent. But one look at Katsumoto's worried face caused me to squelch the urge.

As if she sensed my amusement, Higgins began summarizing the boys' conversation in her own words. "Dennis replied that he was grounded and wouldn't be there. Jordan replied that he was in serious trouble, that he'd lost a stash that belonged to someone named Chris, who was demanding that he pay for the loss."

"Stash?" I asked. "That sounds like drugs."

"He doesn't specify, but that was my assumption as well," Higgins said. "And this Chris--"

"Must be Chris Jenkins, the boy throwing the party," Katsumoto interrupted.

"That seems likely," Higgins said. "In any case, Chris threatened Jordan with serious bodily harm if he didn't pay for the lost stash."

"I can't believe Dennis is involved in something like this," Katsumoto said. "I must sound like your typical clueless parent, but..."

"Actually, it doesn't sound like he was involved, Detective," Higgins said. "He said that he thought the rumors about Chris dealing were just that, rumors, and he asked Jordan how he could have gotten mixed up in something like this. Jordan said he was under a lot of pressure at home, and 'you can lecture me later but please I need help now.' Then Dennis said, 'I'll call my dad, he'll know what to do.'"

Katsumoto looked both surprised and gratified until Higgins continued, "Jordan responded, 'No cops, or I'm dead meat.' They argued back and forth until Jordan said he might as well kill himself because Chris and his brother would definitely kill him if he got the police involved. I don't know the boy well enough to tell if he was seriously threatening suicide or just being overdramatic, but at that point Dennis gave in and promised to meet him, saying that they'll figure something out."

"Damn it, Dennis, how could you be so stupid?!" Katsumoto exclaimed.

"Hey, don't be too hard on him," I said. "Yeah, he screwed up, but his heart was in the right place. He was trying to help a friend."

"I never thought I'd say this, but at this moment, he reminds me of you," Katsumoto said, and he obviously didn't mean it as a compliment. "He may have good intentions, but he's going about it in a reckless way that could get him hurt, even killed."

Higgins cleared her throat, drawing our attention back to my phone. "Sorry to interrupt, but this might have some bearing on the case. Were you aware, Detective, that drugs were found on the Kukui High campus recently?"

"I did, and I was concerned, but I trusted Dennis not to be involved with that kind of thing. He told me, and I quote, 'Dad, I'm not that stupid.' Although apparently he did do something really stupid even if he wasn't doing drugs."

"What kind of drugs?" I asked, not knowing what kinds of mind-altering substances were popular with the high school crowd these days. I expected to hear that it was weed, maybe ecstasy or meth.

So I was startled when Higgins replied, "Pills. Specifically, prescription drugs--mostly Adderall and a few opiods."

"Adderall...isn't that used to treat attention deficit disorder?" I asked. "Is it really a recreational drug?"

"It's a stimulant," Higgins replied. "Students sometimes use it because they believe it enhances focus and cognition."

Katsumoto and I looked at each other with dawning comprehension. "The kind of drug that a kid like Jordan would use," Katsumoto said. "Not to get high, but to live up to the expectations that his parents are putting on him."

"You said they were prescription drugs," I said to Higgins. "Do the police know who prescribed them?"

"No, the pills were found in unmarked plastic bags," Higgins said. "Which were in turn found in a locker behind the school gym. They were an old set of lockers that had been replaced and were scheduled to be discarded, but in the meantime no one was using them. The police believe that the dealer was using them as a safe hiding place in case their own locker was searched. Unfortunately for them, the janitor went through the lockers one last time to make sure nothing had been left behind. He was't expecting to find anything other than an old gym uniform or stray textbook, but instead he found someone's illegal pharmacy."

"So the police don't know who put them there?" I asked.

"There were fingerprints on the bags, but they weren't in the system," Higgins replied. "So short of fingerprinting all the students in the school--to which many parents would no doubt raise objections--there was no way to figure out to whom they belonged."

"And you know all this how?" Katsumoto asked suspiciously.

"Well, let's just say that I took a little peek at the police report," Higgins said with an innocent smile.

"I'm not going to ask how you got hold of that," Katsumoto sighed.

"That's probably for the best," Higgins agreed.

"So we don't know where the drugs came from," I said. "But on the other hand, we do have a couple of kids whose parents are doctors."

"The Jenkins boys," Katsumoto said.

"Great minds think alike," I said with a grin. 

"Don't flatter yourself," Katsumoto said. "It's not that much of a stretch to figure out."

"Fine, neither of us are geniuses," I said. "Do you want to go find your son or not?"

"Let's go," Katsumoto said, and we got into the car. "Thank you for your help, Higgins. Can you send those texts to my phone? I'll call in what we have to HPD."

"Of course," Higgins replied. "Good luck, and I hope you find Dennis."

***

I broke a few more traffic laws on the way to the Jenkins house, but Katsumoto was busy talking on the phone and either didn't notice or didn't care.

"Yes, Captain...no, not exactly, but it's obvious that...I understand, but the boys could be in danger...yes, I understand that I'm still under review. Yes, sir...understood, sir."

He hung up with a sigh of frustration and I said, "I take it that didn't go well."

"I'm told that the texts don't provide enough information for a warrant," Katsumoto said. "They never mention Chris's last name, and they never explicitly say that the 'stash' consists of illegal drugs."

"Isn't that pretty much the definition of 'stash'?" I asked incredulously. "And how many kids at Kukui High named Chris were throwing parties last night?"

"It's all circumstantial," Katsumoto replied. "And I was told in no uncertain terms that I should not enter the property uninvited without a warrant."

"Well, I suppose we could ask politely if they'll let us search the premises," I said. 

Katsumoto scoffed at that notion as the joke that it was. "Not likely they'll say 'yes' if they really are holding the boys. And it'll tip them off that we're on to them and they might decide to get rid of the problem permanently."

"They're high school kids," I said. "Well, one high school kid and one college drop-out. But it's a bit of a leap from pushing pills to murder."

"Let's hope so," Katsumoto said, not sounding very reassured.

I pulled up outside the Jenkins house, which was not as palatial as Robin's estate, but still nice enough to befit a couple of well-to-do surgeons. There was a fence surrounding the property--high enough to discourage neighborhood kids or casual intruders, but not high enough to keep out a determined private investigator.

We got out of the car, and Katsumoto noticed me eyeing the fence. "I'm under orders, Magnum," he reminded me 

"Well, isn't it lucky that I'm not a cop and not subject to HPD's orders?" I said cheerfully.

"Magnum..." Katsumoto warned.

I reached into the glove compartment and pulled out my baseball cap. I put it on and sauntered towards the fence while Katsumoto gave me a "what the hell are you doing now" look.

I tossed the hat into the air and it went sailing into the Jenkins' yard. "Oops, look at that--the wind blew my hat over the fence," I said. "I'm sure nobody will mind if I go retrieve it."

"That's still trespassing," Katsumoto said.

"Look on the bright side, Gordy," I told him. "That gives you a legitimate excuse to chase after me."

I was over the fence before he had a chance to object further. He hesitated for only a few seconds before following me.

"Going to arrest me?" I asked.

"Dennis is my son," Katsumoto said gruffly. "What kind of father would I be if I let you go rescue him by yourself?"

I just grinned at him in response, then called out not very loudly, "Hello, does anybody mind if I go get my hat?" When there was no reply, I said, "Doesn't sound like anybody objects."

Katsumoto rolled his eyes. "You know that won't hold up in court if we're caught."

"Right now, I'm more concerned with getting the boys back safely than getting a conviction."

"Fair enough," Katsumoto conceded. "But I really hope Dennis is here and that I'm not risking my job for nothing."

"If you get fired, maybe you could partner up with me and Higgins," I said.

Katsumoto visibly shuddered. "Don't even joke about that, Magnum," he said. "For one thing, you barely make enough money to pay your bills as it is without splitting your fees with one more person. And no offense, but the idea of working with you on a regular basis is one of my worst nightmares."

"Aw, Gordy, you're hurting my feelings," I said, but I knew deep down that Katsumoto really did like me even if he'd never admit it.

He hid his feelings well by glaring at me, and we cautiously circled around the house and peered through the windows. There was evidence of last night's party: discarded beer cans and bottles left on tables and scattered across the floor, but no sign of Dennis and Jordan, or the Jenkins boys, for that matter.

The garage held an overflowing trash can and two cars that probably belonged to the parents, but again, no sign of any of the boys.

"Maybe they're not here," a discouraged Katsumoto said.

"They have to be here somewhere," I said. It was too much of a coincidence that Dennis and his friend had disappeared after having trouble with the Jenkins brothers. "Let's check around back."

"I swear, if we find Dennis alive, I just might kill him myself," Katsumoto grumbled.

"That's the spirit," I said, patting him on the shoulder. I figured that it was a good sign that he was able to joke about the situation, even if it was black humor.

There was a storage shed in the back yard, which seemed like a promising place to lock up two prisoners. There was a bicycle lying on the grass nearby, and Katsumoto stopped in his tracks when he saw it.

"That's Dennis's bike," he said in a low, tense voice.

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"Absolutely positive," Katsumoto replied. "I bought it for his birthday two years ago."

By mutual unspoken agreement, we headed towards the shed, moving quietly and crouching down low to minimize the chances of being seen. As we got closer, we could hear the sound of voices arguing.

"What the hell were you thinking?"

"I panicked when he said his dad was a cop," the second voice whined. "He threatened to tell his dad about our little side business if we didn't lay off Jordan and..."

"And you thought it was a good idea to knock him out and lock these two up?! Now what the hell are we going to do with them? The cops already came around once looking for this one."

We heard a soft thud and a muffled grunt, as if someone had been kicked in the side and cried out in pain. Katsumoto's hands clenched into fists, and I placed a hand on his shoulder, a gesture of both support and warning. He had more self-control than I would have had in his shoes, because he relaxed his hands and got himself under control. He still looked furious, though, and I would not have wanted to be either of the Jenkins brothers when he got hold of them.

We edged closer and very cautiously peered through a small window set in the side of the shed. Lying next to some sacks of fertilizer and gardening equipment were two teenaged boys, both bound and gagged: Dennis and Jordan. Two cell phones were on the floor nearby, screens cracked as if someone had stepped on them.

Dennis's hair was matted with dried blood--not enough to be life-threatening, but it was clear that he'd been hit on the head. The probable weapon was a two-by-four in the corner of the shed that had a bloodstain one end. When Katsumoto saw that, his expression darkened. I knew from experience that it took a lot to make him angry--really angry and not just annoyed--but he was on the verge of "break your hand punching a tree" kind of angry.

I squeezed his shoulder again and whispered, "Careful, we don't want to put the boys in more danger." He nodded in acknowledgment and we took another peek through the window.

A boy about the same age as Dennis and Jordan said nervously, "Jesus, Blake, calm down and stop waving that thing around before you accidentally shoot someone."

An older boy--a young man, actually--was pacing around the confined space of the shed with a gun in his hand. "You're lucky I don't shoot _you_ for dumping this mess in my lap," Blake snapped. "We can't let them go, you know."

"You can't kill them," the other boy--presumably Chris Jenkins--said, sounding increasingly panicked. "That's, like, murder!"

"Kidnapping is a felony," Blake said. "You might just go to juvie, but I'm over eighteen. I'll get tried as an adult and do hard time."

Dennis made frantic muffled noises behind the gag, and Chris bent down to loosen it.

"Listen, nobody has to get hurt or go to jail," Dennis said quickly. "Let us go, and we won't tell anyone, not even my dad. We'll tell our parents that we were out partying and we'll just get grounded--no harm, no foul."

Jordan nodded frantically in agreement, but Blake said, "You're lying."

"No, I'm not," Dennis insisted. "If the truth got out, I'd get in trouble too, for being involved with drugs. It wouldn't look good for Dad either, for his kid to get mixed up in a drug scandal. So really, it's in my best interest to keep quiet."

"See, Blake?" Chris pleaded. "They'll keep their mouths shut. Just let them go, and let's forget about this whole thing."

Blake hesitated for a few seconds, then said, "Sorry, but I can't take that chance."

I knew we needed a distraction. As Blake raised the gun, I pulled out my phone and played the ringtone that I used for Higgins's number.

Blake and Chris both turned, startled, towards the sound of barking dogs. Katsumoto charged in, kicking down the door, and we got some unexpected assistance from Dennis, who kicked out with his bound legs and knocked Blake off his feet, sending the gun flying out of his hand.

Katsumoto caught Blake as he fell, then slammed him to the ground and cuffed his hands behind his back with a little more force than was really necessary, but who could blame him? I thought he showed admirable restraint, considering that Blake had been a second away from shooting his son.

As for me, I apprehended Chris, which was less heroic than it sounded, because he was so terrified that he surrendered without putting up any kind of fight. Just to be on the safe side, I tied him up with some of the rope that he and his brother had used to tie up Dennis and Jordan.

I freed Jordan while Katsumoto did the same for his son. As soon as the ropes and gag were loose, Dennis flung his arms around his father and said, "Dad, I've never been so glad to see you in all my life!"

"Same here, kiddo," Katsumoto said, hugging his son fiercely for a long moment. Then Katsumoto held him at arm's length and glared at him. "But don't think that you're not going to be grounded for the rest of your life."

"I'll take any punishment you give me," Dennis said fervently. "Grounded for life sounds pretty good right now, considering that I thought my life was over a few minutes ago."

Katsumoto called it in to HPD, then called his ex-wife to let her know that Dennis was okay. Meanwhile, I called Higgins to fill her in, and she was relieved to know that we'd found the boys safe and mostly unharmed.

While we waited for the police to arrive, I cleaned up Dennis's wound as best I could with the first aid kit I kept in the car. Higgins had given it to me not long after we'd officially become partners, telling me that I would probably be needing it "considering the frequency with which you become injured, Magnum".

He had a bit of a goose egg, but the cut was shallow, and he seemed to be okay, all things considered. "You should get it checked out to be on the safe side, but I think you'll be all right," I told him. "I've been hit in the head harder than that and survived just fine."

"That actually might explain a few things," Katsumoto muttered, not quite under his breath.

As I tended to Dennis, he and Jordan explained what had happened, most of which we had already guessed. The Jenkins boys had been peddling drugs for extra spending cash, using prescription pads stolen from their parents.

"I had SATs coming up, so I really needed the Adderall to focus," Jordan said. "Or at least, I thought I did. I'd been using it for awhile, and it took more and more to get the same effect. But I ran out of money, and I couldn't exactly tell my parents why I needed more. So I worked for Chris and Blake, helping them deal to other kids at school."

Katsumoto shook his head, and Jordan said, "Yeah, I know now how stupid that was. Anyway, I was hiding the stash in the old locker, and the janitor found it. The teachers and the police didn't know who it belonged to, so we didn't get arrested, but Chris and Blake told me that I had to pay them back for it...or else. I didn't know who else to turn to, so I asked Dennis for help. I'm really sorry, Mr. Katsumoto. I never should have got him involved with this."

"It's okay to ask for help when you're in trouble," Katsumoto said. "But Dennis, you should have known better. You should have told me what happened, and we could have gotten help for Jordan without anyone getting hurt." His voice rose in anger. "Do you understand that you both could have been killed?"

"I'm sorry, Dad," Dennis said, sounding genuinely remorseful.

"I begged him not to tell," Jordan said, coming to his defense. "It's my fault. He was just trying to keep me out of trouble."

"Loyalty to a friend is a good thing," Katsumoto said. "But there are some secrets that you shouldn't keep, no matter what." He gave me a pointed look. "Especially secrets that put someone in danger.

"I'm sorry, Dad," Dennis repeated. "I didn't think Chris and Blake would get violent. I went to meet Jordan and Chris at the party, and we went out to the shed to talk in private. I tried to reason with Chris, but when I threatened to tell you about the drugs, he freaked out and grabbed a piece of wood that was lying nearby and hit me with it. I blacked out for a bit and when I came to, we were both tied up."

"I should have fought back or tried to help but I just froze up," Jordan said, shamefaced. "Next thing I knew, he was tying me up, and he tied up Dennis, too. Then he smashed our cell phones so that we couldn't call for help--not that we could have anyway, but I don't think he was thinking too clearly by then. He went to tell Blake what happened, but by then Blake had passed out from drinking too much, so we were left locked up in the shed until Blake woke up. They were arguing about what to do with us when you guys showed up."

"You two are very, very lucky to be alive," Katsumoto told the boys.

"I know," Dennis said. " And I know that I really messed up, and that I shouldn't have tried to handle it on my own. But...I also knew you'd find me somehow. Thank you, Dad."

Katsumoto hugged him again, then said, "You can thank Magnum, too. He and his partner Higgins helped me find you."

Dennis gazed at me with interest and curiosity. "So you're the famous Magnum?"

"I am, though I don't know about the famous part," I replied, glancing at Katsumoto.

"Dad talks about you all the time," Dennis said. "He says you're a real pain in the--"

"Dennis!" Katsumoto snapped.

"A pain in the, uh, okole," Dennis finished. I didn't know if it was actually any politer in Hawaiian than "ass," but I had to admit that it sounded nicer.

Katsumoto sighed in exasperation, and I grinned at him. "It's okay," I told Dennis. "He says it to my face all the time."

"But he also says that you have a good heart and that you try to help people, even if he doesn't approve of you breaking the rules to do it," Dennis continued.

"Oh really?" I said to Katsumoto, my grin growing wider.

"Grounded for life times two," Katsumoto told his son, who gave him a similar grin. I liked the kid already.

A couple of patrol cars arrived, and Katsumoto's captain arrived with them. He had a few choice words for Katsumoto that ended with, "You're just damn lucky that it all worked out." He looked over at Dennis, then added, "But I understand why you did it. If it was my boy, I'd do the same. Just try to stay out of trouble from now on, Gordon."

"Yes, sir," Katsumoto said.

I tried to remain inconspicuous, but the captain's gaze fell on me. "And why does trouble always seem to follow you around, Mr. Magnum?"

"Honestly, I'm not trying to get in trouble," I protested. "Today I was just trying to help a friend."

The captain's stern expression softened just slightly and he said, "You get a pass today, Magnum, but I don't want to see you involved in police business again, do you hear me?"

I kind of felt like Dennis being chewed out by his father. "Loud and clear, sir," I replied.

The captain and Katsumoto both exchanged skeptical looks, but let my remark pass unchallenged.

The Jenkins brothers were taken away in handcuffs, and Katsumoto told Jordan, "I won't lie; you are in trouble, Jordan. But I think the courts will be lenient, given the circumstances and the fact that you've never been in trouble before. And I'll speak on your behalf."

"My parents are going to kill me," Jordan said glumly. "I won't get into a good school with an arrest on my record."

"Right now, I think you and your parents have more important things to worry about than grades and school," Katsumoto said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I'll talk to your parents. I know a good family counselor who can help you guys work it out."

Jordan got into the second patrol car, still looking worried, and I quietly told Dennis, "You're lucky to have a father like Gordon. He was willing to move and heaven and earth in order to find you."

"I know it," Dennis said, just as quietly. "Sometimes I get mad at him when he has to miss out on stuff because of work, but I've always known that he cares about me. Not like Jordan's parents, who just have this ideal image of the son they want."

"Well, maybe this will be a wake-up call for them," I said.

"I hope so," Dennis said. 

"You need to go down and give a statement, too, Dennis," Katsumoto said. "I'll meet you at the station."

Dennis got into the patrol car with Jordan, and it drove off. "He could have ridden with us," I said.

"This is supposed to be a lesson to make him think twice about doing something stupid in the future," Katsumoto replied. "I think it will stick better if he's not getting a joyride in a Ferrari."

"Tough love," I said with a grin. "But seriously, you are a good dad."

"Don't get all soppy on me, Magnum," Katsumoto retorted, looking embarrassed. It was kind of cute, actually, and I made a mental note that if I ever wanted to embarrass him in the future, I should praise his parenting skills.

As I drove to the police station, I said, "You know, we're planning a barbecue at the estate next weekend. T.C. and Rick will there, and of course, Higgins. You should swing by, and I know he's supposed to be grounded, but you could bring Dennis. Do a little father-son bonding."

"Thanks for the invitation, but 'grounded' means not going out and doing anything fun," Katsumoto replied. "Besides, I'm not sure I want to expose my son to a such bad influence."

"T.C. and Rick will be hurt," I said.

"You know I'm talking about you, Magnum," Katsumoto said.

"Aw, you can't fool me, Gordy," I said. "I know your true feelings now. You think I'm a guy with a good heart."

"I am going to kill Dennis," Katsumoto said, and if I didn't know him better, I might have thought that he meant it.

"After all the trouble we went through to rescue him?" I said. "That would be a waste."

Katsumoto finally gave up and laughed out loud. "Okay, we'll be there. And seriously, thank you for your help today."

"Anything for a friend," I said. 

Katsumoto opened his mouth, looking as though he were about to say, "We're not friends," but after a moment of hesitation, changed his mind and said, "Thank you for being a good friend, Magnum."

"Ha!" I exclaimed with delight. "You finally admitted that we're friends!"

"I take it back," Katsumoto immediately said. 

"Hey, no take-backsies," I told him. "Besides, it's too late. I already heard you say it. You're stuck with me...friend."

Katsumoto made a show of heaving a big sigh of resignation. "I guess I am." But then he smiled when he thought I wasn't looking, and because I was such a good friend, I pretended not to notice, though I did smile a little to myself as I kept my eyes focused on the road ahead.

**Author's Note:**

> I love the friendship between Magnum and Katsumoto, so I was delighted to read your letter and discover that we love the same things about them: their adversarial friendship and how well they work together, and Katsumoto's trust issues and how all he wanted was a sincere apology (though Magnum's efforts to win him over were hilarious).
> 
> I've been intrigued by the hints we get in the show about Katsumoto's relationship with his son, so I decided to go with your prompt of "Thomas meeting Gordon's son, maybe helping with some issue related to him". I had to do a re-watch to find the episode that mentions the son's name, but it was fun to watch all those Magnum-and-Katsumoto scenes over again! They still haven't given us the ex-wife's name, so I made one up for her, since I figured Katsumoto couldn't keep calling her "my ex". I do hope we get to see Dennis on the show one day--and to see him meeting Magnum. That would be awesome!
> 
> I chose Kukui High as Dennis's school, since I didn't want to use a real school name, and it was featured prominently in an episode of Hawaii Five-0, which of course takes place in the same universe as Magnum. 
> 
> The plot element about school kids using/dealing Adderall came from an old Law & Order SVU episode that came to mind when I was trying to think of a problem that Dennis could get mixed up in.
> 
> I really had a lot of fun writing this story, so thank you for your prompt, and I hope you enjoyed it!


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